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So, I broke my chain
Riding home on Tuesday (in a rush for dinner with the in-laws) I decided it would be a good idea to do a few quick shifts going up a very short ascent and managed to snap my chain.
Being quite new to the MTB world I thought i'd give it a go fixing the thing on the side of the road with my chainbreaker/pocket tool set on my own. I evenly stupidly declined assistance when a fellow pedaller asked if i was ok.. Thanks if that was you!
So i break the chain and match up the segments, only to realise (after watching a YT clip) that I'd inadvertantly removed the pin from the link and I couldn't get it back in. So i had to remove another segment and that all worked fine.
Re-attaching took a few attempts because i was rushing (remember, i'm running late for in-laws) and neglected to take into account first the front de-railer and then the rear derailer - FML!
Anyway, long story short I fixed it but my chain has now been broken and re-connected in 3 spots and is also a couple links shorter than it was before - so much so that its too short for the 2 big-gear combinations.
I'm getting my bike serviced tomorrow anyway but i have a couple questions for future reference:
1) Does the breaking and re-attaching of the chain (by someone as special as me) deteriorate the integrity of the chain all that much?
2) Is breaking it once, twice, 3 times in this case too many times?
3) Should I just get a new chain?
4) If so, should i ask the LBS to salvage the chain for me for spare links in case of future special moments?
5) Should i get used to this happening?!
I hope that was entertaining at least and thanks for any tips.
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After having had similar experiences to yourself, there's a couple of things you should do...
First is buy some quick-links. These are very inexpensive and make joining your chain again so much simpler. Practise using them at home, so you can do it faster when you're running late for the in-laws.
Second is to get an old wire coat hanger and get about 15cm of straight wire from it. Now bend each end up about 2.5cm, to give you a big fat 'U' shape, preferably with the ends pointing slightly back towards the middle. These hooks can be used to hold each end of the chain together so that you're not trying to line everything up under tension from the derailer.
Third you should buy a new chain. In my experience re-attaching chains doesn't affect things too much, but not being able to use your big rings is an issue and will eventually put too much stress on the chain (and derailer, etc). Keep the old one for spare links though, so that next time your chain gets too short you can add extra length.
Fourth be careful if you are putting pins back in. I snapped a chain twice (and narrowly avoided a third) because I wasn't taking the time to line the pins up correctly, which meant I damaged the 'outer' link even before I'd started pedalling.
And lastly you should change your chain regularly to avoid having these issues (and increase the life of your cassette, etc). I do mine about every 3-6 months, but it's only a weekend warrior.
Hope that helps. Chains do break, but practising fixing them will make it much easier (and less stressful) on the road/trail.
Thanks very much for the help Moose!
Also get a chain wear tool, quite cheap from ebay less than $10 shipped, so you know exactly when to replace your chain.
I always carry a spare quick link just in case. So much easier than trying to push a pin out and then back in again.
Yes I would replace your chain now.
Replace chain. Spare quick link.
The coat hanger trick is good advice. I have an icetool which does the same thing. Prevents damage to the links when breaking under tension by removing the tension for you.
Advice from the chain manufacturers these days is that because of the thin side plates and tight tolerances of the ultra-narrow 10sp chains, only use a special joining pin or a quick link to re-join them, otherwise you risk creating a weak spot that'll just break again. Course, anything will do on the side of the road to get you home, but then join it properly when you've got the time and have the right parts available.
Re-useable connecting link:-
Shimano joining pin:-
And I should add that, like those above, my preference by far is for the link.
I've had a SRAM Powerlock (quicklink) in my Shimano 10sp chain for about 8 months and it hasn't missed a beat...
+1 Get a powerlink. They save heaps of messing around.
The coathanger idea sounds like a gem but I probably wouldn't bother carrying one around in my pack.
I've ridden for ages on a chain thats been repaired and when it goes again its usually in a new spot, which suggests to me that the repaired bit is just as strong if not stronger than the original chain.
I don't replace my chain until its worn out.
I've used the SRAM powerlok, but prefer the KMC link as it is reusable. Haven't had any issues on either the MTB or road bike.
I've also found the 10 sp chain slightly more finicky with chain wear, so you might need to replace it. I've never bothered with a chain measuring tool, and simply hang the chain from a nail in the wall of the garage and when the full chain is ~ 1/2 link too long, I replace the chain.
This has worked well on both the road bike and MTB, and I was particularly surprised, after many years of MTB'ing that the road chain wears quicker than expected.
I think I might have got the 1/2 link idea from Sheldon brown.com originally, and pretty much confirmed it by my own experience.
I've opened and closed the SRAM link 1/2 a dozen times with no ill effects, I have to use link pliers though.
There is an interesting article (long term test) on chain wear on the bike rumour website (I'm not sure if one is allowed to post a link on here) regarding 10 speed chain wear and how they wear better than every other speed so far.
Coat hanger wire can be a bit thick. An old spoke is perfect.
Chain wear tool is also known as a ruler.
+1 for the old spoke trick.
The ruler method is the more accurate one for chain wear, as the Park Tools chain checker and their ilk mainly measure roller wear, not chain elongation which is the main destroyer of cassettes and chainrings. The only accurate elongation measurement tool besides an imperial ruler (the 12 inch type, not the one in Buckingham Palace) is the Shimano one that is no longer in production
An idea I picked up from Jacojoco (I think was 'im) is to run three high-end chains in rotation per bike (XTR chains in my case). Instead of getting two chains' worth of wear before needing to toss your rings and cassette for new ones, you get six. Chains are much cheaper than the other bits